William R. Sawyer, Jr. 78, of Paris, passed away at 2:42 PM, Tuesday, November 26, 2019 with his family by his side at Texas Health Presbyterian Plano Hospital.
Funeral services are set for 11:00 AM, Monday, December 2, 2019 in the chapel of Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Tim Marks officiating. Private family burial will follow at Tyler Memorial Park at 2:30 PM on Monday in Tyler. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until service time on Monday at the funeral home. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Bill was born September 23, 1941 in Mexia to William R. and Irene Faye Moss Sawyer, Sr. He graduated from John Tyler High School and attended Tyler Junior College and Stephen F. Austin State University. Mr. Sawyer married Karen Scott on August 25, 1962 in Tyler. He was a well-established interior designer and founded John-William Interiors which grew to three locations in San Antonio and Austin and became one of the largest interior design firms in Texas. In 2001, he retired to Lake Cypress Springs and later in 2011, moved to Paris to care for aging parents and worked with Bobby Smallwood on various residential and commercial projects in the Paris area. He was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Karen Sawyer; his daughter, Stephanie Cecil and husband, Carl of Paris; grandson, Dillon Cecil and wife, Laura of Dallas; granddaughter, Randle Cecil of Dallas; his brother, Fred Sawyer and wife, Jeanie of Seguin, Texas; and two nieces, Shanon Crnkovich and husband Dominic of Florence, South Carolina and Ashley Ashton and husband, Simon of Hilton Head, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by his parents.
The family would like to thank the hospital staff of Texas Health Presbyterian Plano for their wonderful care of Mr. Sawyer; family friends, Jack and Marty Von Runnen; and Kathy Cecil Orsak and Becki Norment for their invaluable help in caring for Bill in his final days.
Memorials may be made to the Calvary United Methodist Church, 3105 Lamar Avenue, Paris, Texas 75460.
